Couseling loads have spiked a bit this week. My guess is that, since we are among the first wave of replacements, some folks are "smelling the barn" and allowing themselves to think more of home and reunions and what that all means. Also, since there are two groups of us that are in our first 60 day window, all the problems that went unresolved before these folks left are blowing up right now. Unfortunately, I expect this trend to continue for the next 60-90 days.
Probably 90% of what I do over here will be counseling. It's one of the hardest parts of being a chaplain, which is really nothing more than a pastor in an institutional (i.e. Army) situation. I am expected to be able to provide a high level of psychological care when all I've had for training is a bit at my Officer Basic Course (OBC) and a one-credit class at Seminary. This means that I don't yet have the skill to meet this expectation.
There are two ways that I strive to meet this expectation. The first is that I have the time and mentorship to study. The chaplain at our next higher headquarters has a D-Min in Pastoral Counseling, so I am able to pick his brain for thoughts, hints, ideas, and feedback. This is great. The second is a great piece of advice that a hospital chaplain once shared with me. He told this story...
He was taking an oral exam for his Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) process. He walked into a room where the panel was scribbling some notes, he assumed from the previous candidate. The chair of the panel, without looking up, said, "Go open that window, please. I'm a little warm." Wanting to help, my friend walked over to the window only to find that it wouldn't budge. It was either nailed shut or painted shut but it wasn't going to move. After a few minutes of struggling with the window, he walked back to his seat and sat down. The chair of the panel looked at him and said, "I thought I asked you to open that window?" My friend agreed but then admitted that he couldn't do it. The chair of the panel said, "Thank you, that will be all." and he was dismissed.
My friend learned a valuable lesson about counseling that day. He learned that he may not be able to help everyone and do everything that he would like to do. That day, he learned to recognize his limits and not exceed them. I took this lesson to heart as well. Even if I have all the skill in the world, I may not be able to help everyone. The true wisdom in counseling comes from knowing one's limitations and when to get help. Heck, this is the true wisdome of life: knowing one's limitations and asking for help.
So, just know that I am a little busy but I am well taken care of. I know when I am in over my head.
Probably 90% of what I do over here will be counseling. It's one of the hardest parts of being a chaplain, which is really nothing more than a pastor in an institutional (i.e. Army) situation. I am expected to be able to provide a high level of psychological care when all I've had for training is a bit at my Officer Basic Course (OBC) and a one-credit class at Seminary. This means that I don't yet have the skill to meet this expectation.
There are two ways that I strive to meet this expectation. The first is that I have the time and mentorship to study. The chaplain at our next higher headquarters has a D-Min in Pastoral Counseling, so I am able to pick his brain for thoughts, hints, ideas, and feedback. This is great. The second is a great piece of advice that a hospital chaplain once shared with me. He told this story...
He was taking an oral exam for his Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) process. He walked into a room where the panel was scribbling some notes, he assumed from the previous candidate. The chair of the panel, without looking up, said, "Go open that window, please. I'm a little warm." Wanting to help, my friend walked over to the window only to find that it wouldn't budge. It was either nailed shut or painted shut but it wasn't going to move. After a few minutes of struggling with the window, he walked back to his seat and sat down. The chair of the panel looked at him and said, "I thought I asked you to open that window?" My friend agreed but then admitted that he couldn't do it. The chair of the panel said, "Thank you, that will be all." and he was dismissed.
My friend learned a valuable lesson about counseling that day. He learned that he may not be able to help everyone and do everything that he would like to do. That day, he learned to recognize his limits and not exceed them. I took this lesson to heart as well. Even if I have all the skill in the world, I may not be able to help everyone. The true wisdom in counseling comes from knowing one's limitations and when to get help. Heck, this is the true wisdome of life: knowing one's limitations and asking for help.
So, just know that I am a little busy but I am well taken care of. I know when I am in over my head.
1 Comments:
"This means that I don't yet have the skill to meet this expectation."
Hmmmmmm, you may not think you have the necessary skills and degrees, but you have heart and wisdom...and that is more than half the battle.
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